No Borders Journal

Embrace the timeless beauty of Indian craft and community through an enchanting array of visual delights #CuratedBy ⁠@nobordersshop 🪡⁠ ⁠ “No Borders is a multidisciplinary platform celebrating underground art, slow fashion, and ancient crafts for a liberated future. We curated a series of photographs... that bring together beauty, culture, craft and community, honouring the people of our land and returning back to our roots.⁠”⁠ ⁠ Following their travels in Karnataka, No Borders offers a fresh narrative for South India that highlights artisans of ancient creative traditions. Featuring a stunning mix of Kasuti embroidery from the 6th century and works from contemporary Indian artists, this curation shines a light on the legacy of Indian crafts and the women behind them.⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in bio to watch ‘A Return to Our Roots’, a No Borders Film on NOWNESS ASIA 🎥⁠ ⁠ 1.⁠ ⁠Visiting artisans homes in Karnataka by⁠ Akansha Pandey @pandey.akanksha ⁠ 2.⁠ KR Puram, Bangalore⁠ by No Borders Team⁠ 3.⁠ ⁠Kasuti Henna⁠ by No Borders and The Solo Girl @thesologirl ⁠ 4.⁠ School girls⁠ on their lunch break by Ali Monis Naqvi @alimonisnaqvi ⁠ 5.⁠ No Borders “Stories of Our Ancestors” sweatshirt shot by Ali Monis Naqvi @alimonisnaqvi ⁠ 6.⁠ Summer days by No Borders Team⁠ 7. 99 year old Lambani woman in Hampi, India⁠ by No Borders Team⁠ 8.⁠ Woman from Bagalkot⁠ by No Borders Team⁠ 9.⁠ Dilshaad, a Kasuti artisan captured by Siri Gowri @sirigowrii ⁠ 10. Koovagam Trans Festival by Arun Kumar @arun_kumar_marimuthu

In May 2023, Shriya Samavai, founder of the SAMAVAI clothing label, and Jack Wilding, a seismologist and volcanologist, tied the knot in a stunning Malibu ceremony. As a queer interracial couple, they reimagined the traditional South Asian wedding to break away from the binaries deeply embedded in marital rituals. From the outfits to the vows to the carefully chosen vendors, the Samavai-Wilding wedding set a new precedent for what a sacred celebration can look like, affirming all identities and embracing authenticity. Read more about the couple’s decade-long relationship and how they planned their dream wedding at the link in the bio 🌹🌞 Photos by @jennapowersphoto Story by @diyanavlakha

‘Paloma’, a photo series by Dana Murtada (@danasdarkroom ). This project pays tribute to the Lebanese artist’s cherished home in Beirut, a 10-story apartment building constructed and inhabited by her family. While every apartment shares the same layout, Murtada captures the distinct energy of each space, reflecting the unique lives and stories of her family members. Murtada’s childhood memories in Beirut are echoed in ‘Paloma’, embodying a structure deeply intertwined with her ancestry and heritage. The photographer currently resides in New York City where she also paints, makes graphic art, and works in architecture. You can find more of Murtada’s work at danamurtada.com.

In recent weeks, Algerian gold medalist and boxer Imane Khelif has been the target of intense misogyny, sexism, and gender discrimination. As she competed to win gold in women’s boxing at the Paris Olympics, she faced a barrage of hateful comments, including from high-profile figures like J.K. Rowling, Elon Musk, and Donald Trump, who misgendered her, invalidating her identity and life’s work. The Olympic champion has since filed a legal case against X in Paris. Khelif is a cis woman excelling in a typically male dominated sport. The harassment she has endured is underscored by a white feminist philosophy of what women should look like when they are championed in any field. It also points to the persistent and dangerous transphobia that is deep-rooted in our cultural framework, an ideology that we must continue to fight. SLIDES 1, 6, 7, 9: @imane_khelif_10 SLIDES 2, 3: @voguearabia SLIDE 4: @ cheikh_boumsersseb SLIDE 5: @shaneellall SLIDE 8: @impact

“‘Shadow Self’ - An ongoing journey of reconnecting with my soul while shining a warm light on the shadow.” A photo series by @ridaseyes 🌗🌿🪞

Last week, Sanjay Roy, a police civic volunteer, was accused of brutally raping and killing a 31-year-old postgraduate doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The case has sparked outrage nationwide. Details of the incident are still being uncovered, and new evidence has suggested an alleged gang rape. The culture of sexual and gender based violence is deeply ingrained within India’s sociopolitical structure. Since Delhi’s 2012 Nirbhaya movement, we have seen no progress. This week, tens of thousands took to the streets across the country in a protest deemed ‘Reclaim the Night’. This Independence Day, we reject hollow patriotism and reflect on the harsh reality of how violence has plagued India for centuries. We shed tears for the women who have endured and resisted, and we carry that resistance forward for them. One day we will be safe in our homeland. Slides 1 & 6: @maktoobimages Slides 2 & 5: @politics.in Slide 3: @fayedsouza Slides 4, 7 & 9: @ndtv Slide 8: @atasi_kirtania Slide 10: @thecaravanmagazine

Vinesh Phogat, one of India’s most celebrated wrestlers, faced a heartbreaking disqualification from the Paris Olympics just before her gold medal match for being a mere 100 grams over the weight limit. Only a day earlier, Phogat had met the 50-kilogram requirement and secured three wins, positioning herself as the front-runner for gold. Despite her relentless efforts to maintain the weight restriction—enduring dehydration, food restriction, cutting her hair, and other measures—she was denied her shot at history. Phogat was set to become the first Indian woman to win gold in any Olympic event. Instead, her disqualification, over such a minuscule margin, highlights the sporting industry’s antiquated narrative of gender and racial discrimination. After a noble 23-year career, this unjust decision led Phogat to announce her retirement. Her devotion, resilience, and self advocacy will inspire the us to push the boundaries for Indian women in sports. The Court of Arbitration of Sports will be appealing Phogat’s case to qualify for a silver medal tomorrow at 9:30PM IST. SLIDES 1 & 6: @sportsclubclassic SLIDE 2: @viratic.cutz SLIDES 3 & 5: @prarthnasingh SLIDE 4: @smishdesigns SLIDE 8: @officialjiocinema

OPENING TONIGHT in London: ‘My Soul Is Singing And Dancing To The Sound Of Art’, an exhbition by Mehtab Singh Sandhu (b. 1957), curated by his daughter Amrit Singh Sandhu, who is a part of our NB community. Mehtab Singh Sandhu is a self-taught artist who has spent most of his life in Punjab, India, as a lawyer. This exhibition is an ode to his childhood playfulness and the spirituality that he has found in making art all his life. The artist honors the experience of creation over the final product, and brings ordinary, everyday objects alive through his practice. ‘My Soul Is Singing And Dancing To The Sound Of Art’ is open at Lot Projects in London from August 8th to 14th. Co-curator: @j.s.clayton Publicist: @_marie_claire 📍Lot Projects 2 Broadway Market London E8 4TS SLIDES 1 & 7: @ashishisshah SLIDE 3: @amritssandhu

The ‘March to Dhaka’ was 400,000 strong, demanding change in the face of violence, censorship, and inequality. Weeks of resistance against a corrupt government has resulted in the resignation of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina ✊🏾🇧🇩 Sources: SLIDES 1 & 7: ‘Deadly protests in Bangladesh - in pictures’ The National SLIDE 3: @tahiafarhin SLIDES 4 & 10: @_artivistt SLIDE 5: @sobia93 SLIDES 6, 8 & 9: @sigmabengal1

‘Women of Sejnane’, a photo series by Oumayma Ben Tanfous (@oumaymabtanfous ). As pottery artisans, the women of Sejnane are keeping an ancient Tunisian craft alive. Tunisian photographer Oumayma visited the Ayari family, a group of women passing down their craft through generations, to learn about their artistry. Despite UNESCO recognition, these beautiful creations are often sold at low prices on the streets of Tunis. Local associations like @sejnania are working to support these artisans.

Explore the the beauty of Palestinian cinema in our newest playlist ‘Land of Resilience’, guest curated by @nobordersshop 🇵🇸⁠ ⁠ Through these five films, we dive into a cultural treasure trove weaving together tales from the past, present, and future, each exploring themes of identity, strength and belonging 🌼⁠ ⁠ Tap the link in the bio to view the full list on NOWNESS ASIA 🎥

Loving Ourselves, Loving Each Other: Sundeep Morrison and Ragni Agarwal have discovered a profound kinship in each other. @ragni_agarwal_ (she/her) is an Indian multidisciplinary artist from Los Angeles. @sundeepmorrison (they/them) is a Queer Non-binary Punjabi Sikh actor, writer, and director from Canada. Their latest collaboration, originating from a No Borders event in LA last year, is ‘Meet Me in Begumpura’: a dreamy, fierce collection of paintings paired with a poem. “You’re in it with us. You’re in our space of play and creation.” With these words, Sundeep and Ragni welcome us into their world, where we talk about childhoods, artistry, and the decisions that eventually brought them together. Read more at the link in bio 💫🌷 Words by Diya Navlakha (@diyanavlakha ) Photos by Manni Singh (@flyingbeardphotography )